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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

JR. F. KELLY.

ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

No. 255,514. Patented Mar. 28,1882.

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ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

No. Z55,514. Patented Mar. 28,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. JAMES It. F. KELLY, OF BROOKLYN,

ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES ADJUSTABLE REFLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,514, dated March 28, 1882,

Application filed March 5, 1881.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. F. KELLY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Reflectors for Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification,reference being bad to thedrawings accompanying and forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to devices for concentrating, reflecting, and directing the rays of light from a powerful illuminating source, such as the voltaic are; and its object is to produce an eflicient and practicable apparatus for this purpose capable of being employed in all cases where an intense and penetrating light is necessary, such as an inspection by night of an enemys works, in navigating narrow or dangerous streams, detecting the movements of vessels, or in preventing collisions at sea. To this end I have constructed the improved apparatus hereinafter set forth and claimed, for use with an electric lamp, and will nowproeeed to describe the same by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, and Fig. 2 a rear view in elevation, of the complete apparatus; Fig. 3, a development of a portion of Fig. 1, illustrating the means of completing the electric circuit to the device; Fig. 4, a plan view of the plate and screws for adjusting laterally the position of the lamp; Fig. 5, a horizontal section of one half of the reflector and its case, taken through line 3 y in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the upper side of the stationary plate that supports the lamp and reflecting devices. Fig. 7 is a front view of the hollow trunnion and index-plates.

B is a hollow cast-iron base, clamped by bolts to a stationary-support or to the deck of a vessel, represented by A.

G isa case of sheet metal for containing the reflector and lamp, supported on trunnions pivoting on the standards D D, which are rig- The case G is composed of a sheet-metal body strengthened by bands of thicker metal, 0, corrugated or beaded, and riveted thereto, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The band encircling the outer or front rim of the case is cast with a shoulder or flange,f, on its inner surface, to which the flaring rim of a parabolic reflector, F, is so cured, fastened by clamps or screws. The case 0 has an enlargement, G, on top to make room (No model.)

for the lamp, and an opening in the rear closed by a hinged door, 0. That part of the door which closes the enlargement G is made slightly smaller than the rest, so that an air-space, g, remains when the door is shut, through which pass the heated air and gas from around the electric are, as indicated by the arrows. \Vere no such means of escape afforded to the heated air, it would,by being confined in the case about the reflector, increase the temperature and do injury by warping or discoloring the metal. By the above arrangement, however, a free circulation of cool air is maintained.

Handles T T are secured to the case G, preferably to the back, for adjusting it in any desired position, and a clamping-screw, d, is employed for fixing the case at any angle to which it may have been directed.

The open front of the reflector and case is closed by a cap, 0, composed of a metal rim or bezel, with a glass disk or plate. The circular glass plates commonly used for this purpose have a tendency, when exposed to varying temperatures, to expand and contract unequally, thus dcstroying the parallelism of the rays reflected through them and reducing the efficicncy of the light. I have lessened this tendency to a marked degree by constructing the glass front of the cap G of a number of independent strips, 0, with smoothlyfitting edges, as shown in Fig.

From the under side of the case C depends a frame consisting of four bars, HH, supporting a rectangular platform, I. This platform serves as a support for adjusting-screw mechanism for raising and lowering a plate or block, K, provided with projections or hubs, through which pass the rods H, serving as guide'bars.

In addition to the plate or block K, I employ another plate, K, made laterally adjustable on the same by means of a screw-shaft, L, and guides, L. ()n this plate rests the lamp, which is, by preference, a focusing-lamp, such as is shown in Patent No. 208,253, September 24, 1878.

It will be seen that the length of the lateral adjusting-screw is such that the arc may be carried considerably beyond the center of the focus, thereby creating a widely-diverging beam where it is desired to illuminate surrounding objects within short range.

To preventjarring or displacement of the lamp, additional guides (which in this instance are extensions of the rod supporting hangers ll) are provided,which bear against the smooth sides of the upright part K and prevent any accidental displacement thereof. The parts K K thus constitute, in elfect, a carrier for the carbon-holders which is both vertically and laterallyadjustable.

The carbon-holders of the lamp pass up through an aperture made therefor in the metal case (J. The carbons are fitted to these sockets and their points are brought in contact inside the reflector by inserting them through suitable holes therein.

It is obviously essential that for the best effects the center of light should be exactly in the focus of the reflector, and an absolutely accurate focusing-lamp being practically im possible, owing to inequalities of structure in the carbon pencils, it becomes necessary to occasionally adjust the position of the are. This is eifected by the vertical adjustingscrew 1 and the horizontal adjusting-screw L.

To ascertain when the light is in the proper position, I make use of the following means: On one side of the case the trunnion is made hollow and its outer end, M, closed by a ground-glass plate held in position by a cap or ring. A small pin-hole, m,in the reflector F projects an inverted image of the are on the ground glass, on which are marked crosslines in such a position that the projected image will appear at the intersection only when the arc is in the exact focus of the reflector. By this means the'adjustments are readily and accurately obtained without exposing the eyes to the direct glare of the light.

The means employed for turning the reflector in a horizontal plane are as follows: On the supporting-base B is suitably secured a disk, B, provided near its rim with four or more friction-rollers, P, either rolling loosely or journaled in raised flanges thereon. Through the center of the disk B passes a shaft, X, forming part ofa clamping device for holding in place cap E, which carries the supportingstandards DD and fits down over the disk B and rollers P. Shaft X is secured to the disk B by a pin, which prevents itfrom turning in the hub 00. It passes through cap E in a sleeve in the hub at, which allows the cap to be freely rotated around it on the rollers until it is clamped down by tightening the screw S.

In order that the conductors, which carry the current to the lamp in the reflector, may be protected from abrasion and injurious effects of the weather by passing up through the base B, and at the same time not prevent the turning of the reflector in either direction, I lead them to two binding-posts, 1 and 2, attached to the under side of disk B in the interior of the hollow base. The binding-posts are connected respectively with two concentric metalrings, b I), embedded in an insulating material, and having flat smooth bearingsurfaces, on which metal cups R, held in place by stationary teats e 6, depending from the under side of cap E, are held in contact by means of spiral springs surrounding them, as shown. The teat c connects with an insulated binding-post on cap E, from which the current is carried by means of a wire to one of the carbons of the electric lamp. The circuit from c is completed to the outer carbon either by means of a wire connection or through the metal frame of the refleetor-stand and lamp.

To insure a good electrical contact between the teats c 0 and their inclosing-cups, it is necessary to have them fit so tightly together that they prevent the escape of the confined air when they are forced together. To obviate this, small air-holes 1' are made through the cups R to allow a free play of one within the other, and thereby maintain a constant and even pressure of the cups on the contact-strips b I) when the reflector is revolved.

The apparatus is manipulated and the light thrown in any desired direction, as has been hereinbefore stated, by a person taking hold by the handles T T and moving the reflector in either a vertical or horizontal plane. The device above described. forms a durable and convenient instrument, and is capable of a wide range of usefulness.

I am aware that devices for this purpose are not broadly new, and that reflectors have been constructed hitherto which were capable within certain limits of projecting the light in the desired direction. Such, therefore, I do not claim broadly.

What Iclaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The case 0, having an extension, G, for containing the upper portion of an electriclamp frame, open at the back and provided with a door which leaves, when closed, a space, g, for the escape of the heated air from within the case.

2. The combination of a sheet-metal case, 0, and a strengthening-band, 0, having an internal flange, f, to which is attached the rim of a parabolic reflector, F, as shown.

3. The hollow trunnion M, having a translucent indexed plate, in combination with a pin-hole, m, in the reflector F for adjusting the position of the are, substantially in the manner described.

4. The combination, with case 0, of an elcctrio lamp and a frame for supporting the same, provided with stationary base and verticallyadjustable plate for raising and lowering the lamp, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the stationary base and vertically-adjustable plate of the lampsupporting frame H, of the plate K and h0rizontal adjusting mechanism L L, substantially as described.

In. testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of March, 1881.

JAMES F. KELLY.

lVitnesses:

W. H. HARTLEY, E. G. HEBBERD. 

